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Former President Ronald Reagan Dead at 93

Former President Ronald Reagan died today at his home in California. He was 93. As many people know, Mr. Reagan had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for a decade. He was our 40th President and considered one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. After being taken to his Presidential Library & Museum, Mr. Reagan will be flown to Washington to lie in state. He was a fine man. May he rest in peace. More.

Comments

"In recent history, only King George II has been a worse president. I'd say 'good riddance', but he's already been effectively dead for some time now."

I'd dearly appreciate if news blurbs could be written in a manner as neutral as possible; if you have anything partisan to say, please save it for a follow-up comment. And yes, IMHO that includes speaking well (or ill) of the dead.

Sign me up for their club! Do I get to pick the historical period? No corsets or anything that involves button hooks for me, please. Something that involves loosely draped animal skins would be good. Lady-like loosely draped animal skins, that is.

Anyways, I'm always happy to see a story that allows me to point to Jelly Belly art. It just doens't happen that often.

You know, Rochelle, there's a couple of crazy "ladies" I hang out with that would really like you. One of them would be insulted at my referring to her as a lady, and the other one likes to do historical reenactments because you get to dress up and pretend to be other people out loud without anybody thinking you're crazy.

Let's see. He probably visited a library once or twice. He had his own presidential library, where apparently, he'll lie in state (so, maybe the category of Presidential Libraries would have been more appropriate). And he is, arguably, directly responsible for the number of homeless, untreated mentally ill people who spend their days in libraries.

Anyways, I'm always happy to see a story that allows me to point to Jelly Belly art. It just doens't happen that often.

I often think the replies of "What does this have to do with libraries?" to stories posted on LISNEWS are silly and inaccurate, but really, this time I find myself asking it: What DOES this have to do with libraries and LISNEWS!? I mean, it is a major news story that no one is or was likely to miss and so to post it here, I just don't see the point. Not to try to stir up trouble or be rude, but honestly, if any story deserved the question, "Why is this posted on LISENWS?" I think it is THIS one! And I have to add on, I DON'T think he was a "fine man" or president.
Thank you.

"One era has given way to another. We have to reconsider at all levels the social mission of our libraries. The old regime knew what it needed libraries for: to support that regime with Communist propaganda. But it never obliged them to give every citizen free access to information. On the contrary, libraries existed to put barriers between people and information. Many ways were invented to keep readers under control and to channel their intellectual demands."

California state librarian emeritus Kevin Starr verifies that Ronald Reagan was a straight-up dude, an "extraordinarily effective" governor, and the sort of guy you wouldn't mind sharing your jelly beans with, even if you didn't agree with him. More here.

Just so ya know...Blake recently wrote to LISNews authors saying that he had gotten feedback indicating that readers like to see poster comments in the blurbs. I guess that wouldn't have been you. It certainly goes against my journalistic tendencies, but I do embellish occasionally, for the sake of experimentation.

As for the Gipper, I'm still cheesed off at him for beginning the disassemblage of the long term mental health care system that has left seriously mentally ill people to fend for themselves. But, he was an excellent speechifier, and I'm sure, as Ieleen said, a fine man, unlike a recent president, who shall remain nameless.